Misdirection Crossover with Paul Fabritz

When a defender is in your face and hounding you across the court, one of the most effective moves you can use to create space is the crossover.

A crossover dribble is a move where the ball handler switches the ball rapidly from one hand to the other. The intent of the move is to deceive the defensive player by appearing to drive in a certain direction, only to go in the opposite.

The misdirection crossover is a move that takes the concept one step further.

“Normally when we make a crossover, if I was going left to right, my body is going left to right,”says Performance Enhancement Specialist Paul Fabritz, who trains professional basketball players. “This move is the opposite. So, if I am going left to right with the basketball, I am actually going to run out the other way. I am going left to right, but my body is going left. The defender thinks you are going to explode right, and you’re actually going the other way.”

HOW TO

To work on your misdirection crossover:

• Grab a ball and start dribbling.
• Head hard in one direction but stop on a dime with your outside foot.
• Use a crossover between your legs before pushing out the other way. For example: If you are dribbling the ball left to right, your body will go to the left.

You can practice this drill in different situations at various spots on the court. If you’re near the basket, it can create even space for you to take a shot.

“[A] major key is you have to get your feet set and get straight up in the air without fading away,” Fabritz says.

By working on your misdirection crossover regularly, you can leave defensive players wondering what happened as you create a scoring opportunity.

If you’re looking to beat defenders off the dribble, the rip series can also help you create space.